The Restory Retreat Centre

Spring Afternoon Open your windows. Feel the sun. Cherish the colour. Spring is in the air. With our love. George & Matilda  

  Lente-agtermiddag Maak jou vensters oop. Voel die son. Waardeer die kleur. Lente is in die lug. Met ons liefde. George & Matilda

  Dear friends and supporters, As many of you may have heard, for five days, Monday to Friday, we were completely without power here on Tafelkop after the snowstorm last week. For us, the rain and snowstorms are always a big challenge. We are located at the very tail end of a long, sparsely populated Eskom supply line, and this unfortunately means that we are often at the very back of the queue when repairs are made. This time it made us very aware of how vulnerable we are. For example, we had someone here on a private retreat, and he had to cope with the entire week without electricity with us. By day 3, the goods in the freezer had to be transferred to a freezer on a neighboring farm that has solar power. This made us realize that we can’t just hope that there will be few outages this coming summer, or that the next one will be shorter. There is also another side to our power problem. Our Eskom bill starts at around R3 400 each month (fixed line charges and tariffs), before we ha...

  Tafelkop Spring “The woman said, “Sir, give me this water...” ‭‭John‬ ‭4‬:‭15‬ ‭MSG‬‬                                        Somewhere in the distance is Wakkerstroom The Conversation Elements From The Conversation The path to the fountain changes with the seasons. Here in high summer it is overgrown and difficult to walk. You will not get lost, because the cliffs of Tafelkop lie just to your left on the way to the spring and serve as a beacon. But you often wander off course and with great difficulty get back on the faint footpath around massive rocks and over fallen tree trunks.     Lost   Stand still. The trees ahead and the bushes beside you  Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,  And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,  Must ask permission to know it and be known.  The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,  I have made this...

  Tafelkop Fontein “Die vrou sê vir Hom: “Meneer, gee vir my van daardie water........” ‭‭Johannes‬ ‭4‬:‭15‬ ‭AFR20‬‬                  Êrens daar in die verte lê Wakkerstroom Die Gesprek Elemente Uit Die Gesprek Die pad na die fontein verander met die seisoene. Hier in hoogsomer is dit toegegroei en loop jy moeilik. Jy sal nie verdwaal nie, want Tafelkop se kranse lê net hier links van jou op pad fontein toe en dien as baken. Maar jy dwaal gereeld van koers af en kom met groot moeite om massiewe rotse en oor omgevalle boomstamme weer terug op die dowwe voetpaadjie. Lost   Stand still. The trees ahead and the bushes beside you  Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,  And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,  Must ask permission to know it and be known.  The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,  I have made this place around you,  If you leave it you may come back again, saying Here.  N...

  'n Week Later Met al ons liefde. George & Matilda

  A Week Later Much love from this side. George & Matilda

October 2025 Progress Report “The only journey is the one within. But sometimes the outer places - the houses we rebuild, the gardens we tend - mirror that inward journey and carry us further along.” Rainer Maria Rilke                        “A house that has been lived in, that has weathered storms, can be lived in again. Its strength is a kind of love, holding those who come after.” May Sarton                                                  “May your home always be a place of refuge,  a place where the weariness of the world  can fall away,  and the heart can find rest.” John O'Donohue                                              With our love. George & Matilda  

  Oktober 2025 Vorderingsverslag “The only journey is the one within. But sometimes the outer places - the houses we rebuild, the gardens we tend - mirror that inward journey and carry us further along.” Rainer Maria Rilke                        “A house that has been lived in, that has weathered storms, can be lived in again. Its strength is a kind of love, holding those who come after.” May Sarton                                                  “May your home always be a place of refuge,  a place where the weariness of the world  can fall away,  and the heart can find rest.” John O'Donohue                                              Met ons liefde. George & Matilda...

  Taking Stock - January 2025 The Conversation    Elements From The Conversation   Music With our love. And deep gratitude for the blessings you are. George & Matilda

Bestekopname - Januarie 2025 Die Gesprek    Elemente Uit Die Gesprek   Musiek Met ons liefde. En groot dankbaarheid vir die seën wat julle vir ons is. George & Matilda

Tidal Wave  This week has washed over us like a tidal wave in preparation for the annual Wakkerstroom Arts and Crafts Festival, artists and festival goers staying on Tafelkop over the weekend, retreat goers coming on a 4-day structured retreat from Monday and retreat goers coming on a 3-night silent retreat next week. As part of all this, we converted the old bathroom into a wheelchair friendly facility. Last night it started to snow. There was just no opportunity for a conversation recording. The music is an island of tranquility in the midst of great activity. With love. George & Matilda

Vloedgolf   Hierdie week het soos 'n vloedgolf oor ons gespoel in die voorbereiding vir die jaarlikse Wakkerstroom Arts and Crafts Festival, kunstenaars en feesgangers wat oor die naweek op Tafelkop oorbly, retreatgangers wat van Maandag op 'n 4-dag gestruktureerde retreat kom en retreatgangers wat in volgende week op 'n 3-nag stil retreat kom. As deel van dit alles het ons die ou badkamer in 'n rolstoelvriendelike fasiliteit omskep.  Op die koop toe het dit Vrydagaand gesneeu.  Daar was net nie geleentheid vir 'n gespreksopname nie. Die musiek is 'n eiland van rustigheid te midde van groot bedrywighede. Met liefde. George & Matilda

More About George If I want to tell more about myself, the very best might be to just start by saying "I love..." and then list things that I love. So: I love...... ....Tafelkop. The big world of which I am a part, silence and to walk. The Conversation ...time spent with my M. Where we talk for long stretches, and laugh, or are just quiet together for long periods of time. Elements From The Conversation ....our granddaughter, Ariana. Who loves books very much and keeps asking: "Oupa, tell me a silly story!" ....books. And dogs. And cats. And tea. ....a good conversation. Sculpting and woodwork. To write. ....poems. More so by the day. Basically impossible to pick a single one, but on my birthday, this one from Billy Collins. It talks about things one thinks about at 60. Design I pour a coating of salt on the table and make a circle in it with my finger. This is the cycle of life I say to no one. This is the wheel of fortune, the Arctic Circle. This is the ring of Ke...